tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940581770569751922024-02-21T05:40:13.138-08:00Fulbright Family in Japanfulbrightfamilyinjapanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10103263306606037784noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3494058177056975192.post-81399877793144115822015-04-04T03:42:00.000-07:002015-04-04T06:11:28.141-07:00Mamatomos Unite!<style>
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</style><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Just
yesterday in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Japan Times</i> I read
yet another article on the perceived “low relational mobility” of the Japanese, or their limited willingness to develop new, authentic friendships, especially with
foreigners. Truthfully, prior to my departure I didn’t have any preconceived
notions about creating meaningful relationships in Japan. I didn’t concentrate
on the idea of forming close friendships with Japanese people. At 41, why would
I even need new friends?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Based
on my experiences in Tokyo, low relational mobility couldn’t be farther from
the truth. Yes, I am cognizant that I am a foreigner and as a result, I am the
“other,” but through my academic work and my children, I have developed some
deep and rewarding friendships that will last a lifetime. Perhaps it’s the
trials of toddlerhood that bring vulnerable mothers together regardless of race or
ethnicity, or it could be the bond some of us share as working mothers trying
to find the elusive “balance.” Whatever it is that brought us together, I value
the authentic friendships that I have formed with women in Tokyo. My <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mamatomos</i> (a hybrid for Mother-Tomodachi) have hosted dinner parties on
my behalf, researched and guided my family’s in-country travel destinations,
had coffee and tea with my mother, and even assessed my kimono and obi (heaven
forbid I didn’t have the socially acceptable kimono fit for a professor).
Overall, I cherish the gift of friendship that these women have given me over
the last 8 months and I will be heartbroken to leave them when we return to the
US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohOx-2uMGEC-nkwkjjVJP23bFSAgN08szoG0v1b8MhFhHpG4rimXmbxYemvoy9VHaWRmJDtsCx7e6bou8e-EKYRcyk_Hy7p3wE7Z4FB9Aw8FLZ2u7vvxhb6cDWG-xg5Ex0_tsuLEfdheP/s1600/2015-03-31+17.34.52-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohOx-2uMGEC-nkwkjjVJP23bFSAgN08szoG0v1b8MhFhHpG4rimXmbxYemvoy9VHaWRmJDtsCx7e6bou8e-EKYRcyk_Hy7p3wE7Z4FB9Aw8FLZ2u7vvxhb6cDWG-xg5Ex0_tsuLEfdheP/s1600/2015-03-31+17.34.52-2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sakura season is breathtaking but painfully short, as it lasts only 7 to 10 days.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In this blog post, I want to acknowledge Fulbright Scholar Dr. Seth Feinberg, who offered invaluable
survival strategies leading up to my family’s departure for Tokyo. From
residency cards to national parks to lesson plans, Seth was instrumental in
helping me navigate this experience. His wife Kelly’s customized pin drop map
was genius, and likely saved me many hours of exasperation looking for a grocery
store! </span></div>
fulbrightfamilyinjapanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10103263306606037784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3494058177056975192.post-12658097613463832262015-03-17T04:58:00.000-07:002015-04-04T03:44:54.437-07:00Tsuda College Rituals Bring Meaning to Entrance Exams<style>
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</style> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">As
a higher education researcher, my eyes are always peeled for ways in which
institutional culture supports student growth and development. Tsuda College rituals
and mores are giving me great insight into these practices in Japan. Over the
last six months, I’ve noticed time-honored educational activities that embody
collegiate life. For example, in Japan class schedules are organized by
“periods,” much like the way United States secondary schools design their
student schedules. Traditionally, students in Japan live with their parents
while pursuing a full-time roster of courses leading to the baccalaureate. They
often commute to campus by metro, whether they live 30 minutes or 2 hours away.
Thus, most four-year institutes do not offer robust residential life programs
for students in on-campus dormitories, and in fact, provide very limited
housing options. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">What
has piqued my interest of late is my recent observation of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nyūgaku shiken</i>, or<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>the
standardized university entrance exam for incoming freshmen. In January I received
official notification that Tsuda’s exam dates were slated for the first weekend
in February. During this period, I was told the college campus was open <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> to test-takers and faculty. Furthermore, I was asked to remain completely silent while on school grounds. On the first day of
exams, women queued up along the administration building to register for their
chance to prove their intelligence and strength to Tsuda College. It was a
compelling and inspirational site, as the severe weather presented another
challenge for these anxious test-takers, who had one opportunity to pass this
exam. I wanted to exclaim <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gambatte! </i>but
held my tongue. Uneventfully, the weekend progressed, and I witnessed women
come and go with beautifully wrapped bento boxes in hand (presumably for their
lunch break). Then, on the final day of testing, as I ambled across the lawn, I saw parents arranged in a semi-circle
near the main entrance to campus. Mothers and fathers smiled cheerfully and
took photos as their daughters exited the various buildings. Test-takers, many
of whom were crying, received warm embraces at the conclusion of this
significant milestone. The whole scene gave me (and still gives me) chills. Had
I not been walking at that hour, I would have missed this meaningful
exchange, which captured years of hard work, commitment, and dedication on the
part of students and their families. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopeyUCHk_ckT23AMWlsYMY-ahBkI2fyKjPbx3igWvWl9M-qMmHLi7y137wxwKM4RShme_OY3x05CSKnJ6nXbAGrq4BZX63LqzKeZo3TWd1Yr2Z5nL2x1v9iUT6OEkHvhnnIvhK0_dxRnM/s1600/IMG_3834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopeyUCHk_ckT23AMWlsYMY-ahBkI2fyKjPbx3igWvWl9M-qMmHLi7y137wxwKM4RShme_OY3x05CSKnJ6nXbAGrq4BZX63LqzKeZo3TWd1Yr2Z5nL2x1v9iUT6OEkHvhnnIvhK0_dxRnM/s1600/IMG_3834.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tsuda College Undergraduates</td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In this post I would like to express my deep gratitude for the exceptional Tsuda College chefs, who work faithfully to please students, faculty, staff, and guests. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Tanaka-san and Takiino-san lovingly </span>prepare and present dozens of four-course meals daily. My sincerest thanks to these culinary experts who make life a little easier for those of us who enjoy dining on campus.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating Daruma, a Buddhist tradition bringing good luck to the Japanese</td></tr>
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fulbrightfamilyinjapanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10103263306606037784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3494058177056975192.post-2224786505596863822014-11-14T21:17:00.000-08:002014-11-17T17:10:40.178-08:00Women in Higher Education in Japan<div id="embed">
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{pa</style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Research on Women in Higher Education</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Regardless of academic pedigree and professional desires in Japan, many women leave the workforce after marriage or the birth of their first child, a trend that piqued my interest in: (1) the factors underlying women’s drop in labor participation
and (2) the role of higher education in ameliorating this gender gap in the
workforce.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To examine these issues, I am pursuing a qualitative research project that explores female students’ educational
experiences juxtaposed against their personal and professional aspirations –
essentially, I am trying to get at what institutions of higher education in
Japan can do to bolster women’s advancement in the workforce. As the voices of women are critical to my understanding, I’m conducting 15 two-hour, face-to-face interview sessions
with Japanese female college students this fall in Tokyo
(in cafes, libraries, dining halls, etc.).</span></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What
I have learned from my first set of interviewees has been nothing short of
enlightening, as they are acutely aware of what it takes for women to thrive in
Japan. For example, one suggestion – which maps to a larger goal of increasing
the enrollment rate of women in prestigious institutions – is to arm parents of
daughters with information that de-stigmatizes empowerment. The idea is to improve
tuition-paying parents’ understanding that attending world class institutions does
not lower their daughters' marriage marketability, or potential for a successful
and committed romantic partnership. This single recommendation was like an
academic spider-web, leading me to explore issues of family identity in Japan and
an underlying parental fear of daughters becoming “too educated” and “too
intelligent” for the societal competition to date and mate. Another suggestion
included extending the senpai/kohai college relationship (that is of upper and
lower class students) into the workforce, specifically encouraging female senpais
to mentor younger women in the workplace. In this context, female protégés who
are newly hired employees have a sounding board when they face on-the-job issues
related to sex and gender. This was yet another insightful interview, after
which I promptly researched the significance of senpai/kohai relationships in
Japan.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It
goes without saying that all of my conversations with students are changing how
I act in the classroom. Japanese students have influenced my strategies, icebreakers,
rapport, feedback, and overall demeanor. Moreover, my Fulbright faculty liaisons on each campus are playing a meaningful role in how I interpret and adapt to my surroundings.<b> </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Fulbright Faculty Liaison: Dr. Yujin Yaguchi </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My classes at the University
of Tokyo (Todai) began in mid-October and it was no surprise that, like
Professor Orui, my Todai Fulbright faculty liaison <a href="http://go.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/about/staff/yujin-yaguchi" target="_blank">Dr. Yujin Yaguchi</a> is kind
and generous. Dr. Yaguchi is the department chair for global studies, the
director of international admission, a prolific scholar, and an important
advisory member on several university wide committees, yet on numerous occasions he has invited
me to lunch to introduce me to my departmental colleagues and other foreign
instructors and researchers. He also attended the Japan US Education Commission
reception, and introduced me to several of his contemporaries. Dr. Yaguchi is a beloved adviser to Todai graduate students, and has
commissioned several of them to help me acclimate. I am enjoying learning the customs and habits of my new work environment
and Japanese society in general. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yaguchi Sensei, University of Tokyo</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<br />fulbrightfamilyinjapanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10103263306606037784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3494058177056975192.post-86504890730150866782014-10-19T17:20:00.002-07:002014-11-17T17:11:43.246-08:00Settling in to life in Tokyo<br />
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--><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">March
11, 2014 was an extraordinary day. This is the day that I received notice of my
<a href="http://www.cies.org/" target="_blank">Fulbright</a> award in Japan. I could not (and cannot) imagine a more significant professional triumph. Now, eight months later, the Fulbright has
dramatically influenced my perspective and daily life. Here, I describe my family's early adventures settling in and my <a href="http://www.tsuda.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank">Tsuda College</a> Fulbright faculty liaison, Professor Hisae Orui.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Popular shopping destination near Kichijoji Station.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Greeted by a friendly
Japanese graduate student, my husband, children, and I arrived bright-eyed at the Tsuda College campus
on August 5. Our restless bambinos – Julian and Coletta – had their fair share of
disruption and transition, traveling from their grandparents’ seaside house in Los Angeles to airport accommodations in bustling Tokyo, all within 24 hours. From there, our family
was transferred to temporary housing and then finally, permanent housing in
Japan. But the struggle was worth the effort. We are now living about one hour
from downtown Tokyo in a quaint pedestrian-friendly neighborhood
equipped with everything we need as a family, including playgrounds and parks, grocery
stores, restaurants, a post office, banks, and several stops along the Japan Railway.
In an effort to learn more about the greater Tokyo metropolitan area - the largest city in the world - we
have also explored <a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3006.html" target="_blank">Harajuku</a>, <a href="https://www.tokyo-zoo.net/english/ino/main.html" target="_blank">Inokashira Zoo Park</a>, <a href="http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/english/" target="_blank">Meiji Jingu</a>, <a href="http://www.tptc.co.jp/tabid/798/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Port of Tokyo</a>, <a href="http://www.showakinen-koen.jp/english/" target="_blank">Showa Kinen Park</a>, <a href="http://www.tokyotower.co.jp/eng/secret/" target="_blank">Tokyo Tower</a>, and <a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3019.html" target="_blank">Ueno Park</a>.</span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Orui Sensei</span><br />
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Prior to our departure much of my initial contact was with my primary Fulbright faculty
liaison, Professor Hisae Orui, a member of the <a href="http://www.tsuda.ac.jp/en/graduate/english.html" target="_blank">English Department at Tsuda College</a>.
Gracious and smart, Orui-san has since served as our translator and
go-to guru of settling in. Among many other things, Orui-san stocked our
refrigerator with groceries, accompanied us to city hall, communicated with FedEx
regarding our delayed shipment, and assisted me in enrolling my daughter Coletta in hoikuen (nursery school). She even commissioned a graduate student - Yuria - to help my family and me
adjust to domestic life. Yuria visited our home before our arrival, photographed and examined all of our
appliances, and then on tiny flash cards, typed in
English how to use each Japanese contraption. She then returned to our house and taped
the flashcards to the corresponding appliance, so we would not be confused.
Undoubtedly these are duties well beyond those of any graduate student in Japan or the United States! Finally, Orui-san organized a one-hour meeting for me with <a href="http://www.tsuda.ac.jp/en/about/message.html" target="_blank">Tsuda President Mari Kunieda</a>, a scholar of women’s advancement in education. I was delighted and honored to have had valuable time with the president to discuss politics,
research, and teaching at Tsuda College.<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Initially, the move to
Japan was all so overwhelming and my brain was in constant overdrive – the
sounds, smells, and scenery of Tokyo amaze me. But my family and I are settling
in now and enjoying our new day-to-day experiences, even ones as simple as
greeting the bus driver every morning. For this, I feel a deep sense of peacefulness. I am so incredibly grateful for this experience, and look forward to
all the stimulating adventures ahead.</span><br />
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</span>fulbrightfamilyinjapanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10103263306606037784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3494058177056975192.post-82579485411600051262014-04-14T09:45:00.003-07:002014-11-17T17:09:56.169-08:00Support Network of Family<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Fulbright award in Japan is a dream come true, and I am indebted to my grandparents and parents for consistently supporting my academic endeavors. In this photo, my grandparents join me in celebrating my Ph.D. in international education from the Rossier School of Education at the <a href="http://www.usc.edu/" target="_blank">University of Southern California</a>. I keep this photo with me always as a reminder of who I am and who I strive to be for my own children. I am fortunate to have superb role models.</span><br />
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fulbrightfamilyinjapanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10103263306606037784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3494058177056975192.post-20367915415778175842014-04-10T13:45:00.001-07:002014-05-17T22:22:32.880-07:00Fulbright in JapanDelighted and honored to have been selected for a <a href="http://www.iie.org/fulbright" target="_blank">Fulbright</a> award in Japan, where I will teach at the <a href="http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank">University of Tokyo</a> and <a href="http://www.tsuda.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank">Tsuda College</a>. My Japanese colleagues have already proven themselves to be incredibly warm and generous, making my family's transition process as easy as possible. In fact, since receiving the award letter, we've been able to secure housing in Tokyo. This is all starting to feel very real - - and exciting!<br />
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Off to pack some more boxes! fulbrightfamilyinjapanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10103263306606037784noreply@blogger.com0